Snap cut pruner



Nov. 6, 1951 J. L. SMITH 2,574,354

SNAP CUT PRUNER Filed Sept. 12, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET l IN VEN TOR. JUST/N L. SMITH BY HTTORNEY I Nov. 6, 1951 J. L. SMITH 2,574,354

SNAP cu'r PRUNER Filed Sept. 12, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 7 Rm 9 mm Y s M M Q aw dm Jfl Patented Nov. 6, 1951 SNAP CUT PRUNER Justin L. Smith, Watertown, Conn, assignor to Seymour Smith & Son, Inc., Watertown, Cnn., a corporation of Connecticut Application September 12, 1947, Serial No. 773,677

This invention relates to pruning cutters, and more particularly to a snap out pruner which has a swingable blade adapted to be brought against a fiat-faced anvil to perform the cutting action.

One object of this invention is to provide a device of the above nature in which the anvil is easily removable for replacement.

,Another object is to provide a device of the above nature in which the anvil may be securely locked in the fixed jaw structure.

Another object is to provide a device of the above nature which will produce a clean cut with a minimum of bruising to the object being cut.

A further object is to provide a snap out pruner of the above nature having improved means for releasably locking the jaw in closed iently be embodied in practice.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved snap out pruners, shown in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a top view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section similar t Fig. 4, but with the pruner in open position.

Fig; 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. '1.

Fig. 7 is a cross section taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the fixed lower jaw assembly, showing the anvil and the screws in exploded relation.

Fig. 9 is a side view of Fig. 8, the screws being omitted.

' Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numerals Ill and II indicate elongated upper and lower han dles, said handles being U-shaped in cross section, and having two pairs of spaced flat parallel sections l2, 13, respectively, integral therewith and pivotally connected by a headed center bolt l4, passing therethrough and secured in operating position by a nut I5 and a lock washer l6.

8 Claims. (01.30-186) A cutting blade I! is rigidly secured to the lower handle I I, said blade having a convex upper edge and a straight lower cutting edge l8. The blade I! is wedge-shaped in cross section through its main portion and has a V-shaped rear end IQ of uniform thickness fitted between the spaced sections 13 of the handle ll, said rear end 19 being apertured to receive the center bolt I4. 3

A laminated anchor block 20 of the same thickness as the V-shaped rear end I9 is secured be- -24the material in the region of the shoulders '23 being extended outwardly to provide a pair of reinforcing ribs 25.

The jaw members 24 have straight upper edge portions 26 which are of reduced thickness and convex upon their inner surfaces. The edge portions '26 thus provide a throat 21 which opens into a longitudinal recess formed by a pair of opposed grooves 28 in the inner faces of the respective jaw members 24 parallel to their upper edges.

Provision-is also made of a flat-faced anvil 29 which will serve as a backing for the cutting action ofthe blade ll. The anvil 29 comprises a longitudinally-extending upper head 30 and a central downwardly-extending rib 3| having, an

enlarged bottom head 32, and said anvil conforms in size and shape to the upper edge' portions 26 of the jaw members 24 and the throat 21 and grooves 28 therein.

The enlarged bottom head 32 of the anvil 29, however, is slightly wider than the combined widths of the grooves 28 so as to enable the anvil to be clamped tightly in place by the action of a pair of screws 33 and 33a entered respectively in a rear aperture 34 formed in one of the jaw members24 below the groove 28, and a forward aperture 35 intersecting the groove 28, and driven into a pair of corresponding tappedbores 36, 31 in the other jaw member 24.

' A notch 38 is'formed in theenl'arged bottom head 32 of the anvil rib 3| and is engaged by the forward screw 33a in the assembled relation The pruner may be locked in its closed position by a catch 42 in the form of a transverse stud slidably mounted in a pair of aligned slots 43 formed in the sides of the handle Ill, saidcatch being provided on one end with an exterior ribbed thumb piece 44 and on the other end with an exterior round head 45 retaining a curved spring washer 46 which will frictionally resist accidental sliding of the catch 42 in the slots 43.

The upper rear edges of the parallel handle sections l3 and the anchor block are formed with a 'rearwardly facing hook 4 1 adapted'to be engaged by the catch 42 to retain the pruner in closed position.

The handle [0 will normally be held uppermost in the users hand, and preferably is longitudinally convex while the lower handle II is longitudinally concave. Moreover, the handles H) and I l preferably are formed with cross grooves 48 so that the pruner may be more firmly gripped in the users hand without slipping.

' Operation In operation, the improved snap cut pruner will be found advantageous in pruning the branches of small trees and shrubs. The blade I! will have a sliding cutting action with respect to the anvil 29 which will be very eflicient in cutting the branches. I

The thumb piece '44 is conveniently located for release by the users thumb, whereupon the spring 40 will automatically urge the pruner to 'open position. The pruner may then 'be readily manipulated to close the blade H against the anvil 29, which is preferably made of a relatively soft metal, such as brass, and upon release of pressure from the handles the spring 30 will again raise the blade I! from the "anvil 29.

One advantage of the present invention is that the rigid locking 'of the anvil 29 in the jaw insures that the accurat 'alignment of the 'edge of the cutting blade I! with the face of the anvil 29 will be maintained.

'A further advantage is that the anvil 29 may be quickly detached and replaced merely by 'removing the screw 33a and then loosening the screw 33. A new anvil "29'may then 'beihs'er'td into the groove 28 and the screws 33 and "33a tightened to clamp the anvil firmly between the jaw members 24.

It will be'observed that the screws will exert-a strong clamping action upon the anvil, and the screw 33a engages in the notch 38 of the anvil to .positively prevent longitudinal sliding thereof.

and firmly held in the pruner by inserting the center bolt l4, without the use of any additional pins or bolts.

Another advantage is that the grooved formation of the jaw members makes it possible to secure the anvil firmly therebetween without requiring flanges or other outwardly-extending formations on v.the jaw members, which would increase the thickness of the lower jaw. This advantage will be appreciated by a gardener who wishes to trim as closely as possible to an intersecting branch or trunk.

Another advantage of the present invention is that most of the pruner parts, with the exception of the cu'tting blade and the anvil, are adapted to be made from sheet steel or other sufliciently stiff inexpensive sheet material.

While, there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that theinvention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a pruner, a cutting knife, a jaw, and means mounting said knife and jaw for relative swinging movement into cutting engagement,

said jaw comprising an elongated anvil having a lengthwise head adapted for direct abutting engagement by the cutting edge of said knife, an integral rib depending from said head, opposed 'enlarged'portions along each side of said rib,.and a pair of jaw members having elongated .opposed grooves in their edge portions embracing .and gripping said eril'argedportlonsof said rib,. said jaw members being self-supporting .and each attached to said mountingmeans at one end'only.

2. The invention as defined inclaim 1, including a screw engaged insaid jaw members, for maintaining said members in "clamping engagement with said rib.

3. The invention as defined'in claim 1, inwhich the edge of said rib is provided with a notch and including a screw engaged. in said .jaw members and in said notch for maintaining said members in clamping engagement with said rib, and locking said rib against longitudinal movement.

4. In a pruner, a cutting knife, a jaw, and means mounting saidknife'a'nd jaw forrelative swinging movement, into cutting engagement, said'jaw comprising an elongated anvil having a head adapted for direct abutting engagement by the cutting edge of said knife, an integral rib depending from said head, said rib having an enlarged edge, and'a pair of jaw members having elongated opposed grooves on their edge portions embracing and gripping said rib, said -grooves conforming to'the shape of'said'rib and enlarged edge, whereby said anvil will be securely clamped within'and supported from underneath by said jaw members.

5. Theinvention as defined in claim 4, including a screw "engaged in said jaw members for maintaining said members'in clamping engagement with said 'rib, said rib being provided with a notch embracing said'screw.

6. In a pruner, a cutting knife, a jaw, and means mounting said knife and jaw for're lative swinging movement into cutting engagement,

said jaw comprising an elongated anvil having a head adapted for direct engagement by said knife, an integral rib depending centrally from said head, said rib having opposed lengthwise enlarged portions along each side thereof, a pair of jaw members having opposed grooves in their edge portions embracing said enlarged portions of said rib, a screw engaged in said jaw members for maintaining said members in clamping engagement with said rib, the edges of said jaw members being disposed in bearing engagement against the under face of said head adjacent opposite sides of said rib, whereby said screw will be relieved of working stresses.

7. In a tool, a jaw comprising contiguous flat jaw members, means for clamping said members together, opposed grooves in said members adjacent their upper edges, the upper edge portions of said members being reduced in thickness to form a throat entering into said grooves, and a work-engaging member including a head and a depending rib having an enlarged edge, said rib conforming to the shape of said throat and grooves and being of slightly greater width than said throat and grooves, whereby said jaw members are adapted to grip said rib securely in said grooves and throat.

8. In a tool, a jawcomprising contiguous fiat jaw members, opposed "grooves in said members adjacent their upper dges, a work-engaging ad and a depending rib dgc, said rib conforming grooves, and being of slightly greater widt V ,ascrew engaged in said jaw members, and clam mg said rib between said I being received in said notch, whereby said'wgrk-engaging member is locked against'endwise movement.

' JUSTIN L. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

